Business Centre named best in the country

Buy photos » Staff at Cotswold Conference Centre have been left delighted after the centre was named best business tourism venue in the country. (s)

A BUSINESS centre near Broadway has been named the best of its kind in the country by leading industry experts.

The Cotswold Conference Centre was named was named the UK's best business tourism venue at this year's VisitEngland Awards for Excellence ceremony.

The conference, training and team-building centre, based on Farncombe Estate, beat Preston's Ribby Hall Business and Conference Suite, The Lowry Hotel in Manchester and Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Held in Leicester on Tuesday, May 22, the awards ceremony celebrates the best tourism venues, businesses and visitor attractions in the country and this year saw a record number of 392 applications.

Richard Howdle, Operations Manager of Cotswold Conference Centre, said: "We've won the regional awards, customer service awards and environmental business awards this year but there's no doubt that this national recognition tops it all.

"It isn't just that we were shortlisted alongside some great venues which makes winning so special but also the fact that it comes from VisitEngland makes it very satisfying.

"To have an organisation that works with so many great venues across the country choose us as the winner is a fantastic reflection of our performance and a wonderful boost for the whole team."

This is not the first time the Cotswold Conference Centre has gained success in recent times after picking up the VenueVerdict Gold Award for customer service and in April won gold in the Green Tourism Business Scheme.